In the world of media production (unless a person is dealing strictly with audio) lighting is key. While the amount of light used can set a different tone for the scene you are filming or photographing it all basically comes down to the fact that you need a measure of light to start. Still and video cameras have improved over the last decade being able to capture usable (if not clean) images even in low light situations. I often come across astounding stats about the ability of certain cameras to captures “more latitude” or “greater dynamic range” and the price point of these cameras are ever dropping well past the $10k or even $5k price point. But you still need to start off with some light and sometimes I’ve found it downright difficult to get the right amount of light in the right places. Read the rest of this entry »

When I started my documentary “The Other Side of Ministry” I didn’t expect it to be easy. I bought books on filming and funding a documentary. I took additional courses on filming and editing and invested in additional equipment so that I could present the story as best as I could. I had friends and interviewees donate time to the effort, but I have to admit that I need more help. Read the rest of this entry »

So I took a good bit of time getting this site up, researching a good hosting company and moving here from WordPress.com. While I really like this theme and it fits my corporate personality it is very difficult to work with so I had to take even more time to get everything set just right. And then, after all that work I stopped posting… It’s not as if I wasn’t doing anything to write about, it’s just that I’ve been actually very busy. Read the rest of this entry »

My church recently (past year) switched over from an analog main console to a digital mixer. There are many benefits to having a digital mixer from the on-board processing to the ability to save and recall session or even working on sessions off-line (on a computer away from the sanctuary) and uploading it prior to a service. However, I believe the main benefit of having a digital Front of House (FoH) mixer is the ability to record each track individually. While that may not matter very much for a two track recording of the Pastor’s sermon tge ability to record separate tracks definitely matters during a 40 piece concert or even during song service which uses an 8 member praise team and 12 input band. Read the rest of this entry »

Video camera capable of capturing 4K are available from Canon, JVC, Panasonic and Sony. YouTube had offered the ability to stream 4k footage for a few years now and projectors and televisions capable of showing 4K are currently on the market from various companies. Most major Non-Linear Editors (NLE) (Premier, Final Cut and Vegas) offer the ability to edit 4K video. So where are the consumers asking for 4k footage? Where is the market for these devices? HD has been out for over two decade and the time is ripe for something new! Right? Read the rest of this entry »

For quite some time I have had the desire to create a documentary. I don’t want to create one just for the sake of saying “I’ve produced a documentary” but to have a real world impact with what I record, edit and ultimately release. After the work I’ve done with the testimonial Building the Ark I realize that there is an opportunity to create something even bigger. Through out my years working with different churches I have realized that there is a group of individuals who are crucial to the ministry of the church but who’s stories often go unnoticed. I’m speaking specifically of minister’s spouse. These are the people who stand side by side, supporting their spouses’ ministries through thick and thin and seeing another side of the Gospel that we don’t often see. By producing “The Other Side of Ministry” I am giving the spouses an opportunity to share their joys, pains, triumphs and heartache with the rest of us who may not know what they go through on a regular basis. I have heard the stories from a few spouses over the years and I know that they have amazing stories to tell and these stories should be need to be told. I have heard from missionaries who have lost their husbands to accidents in far off places but they continued the work that was started working through immense pain. I have heard stories of victory through faith during supremely difficult times! These stories need to be shared to encourage others and I want to bring these stories out.

The work has begun as 2 letters have been drafted. The first letter goes out to various ministerial spouses around the DMV (Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia area) where the intial round of interviews will take place. I have not placed a cap on the number of spouses I will interview but I hope to start out with at least 10 individuals from as many denominations as possible. The second letter will go out to those who may be interested in donating to the documentary to help defray the various costs that arise when making films. A crowd sourcing page will be created to give people the opportunity to support the blessing that I am praying that this documentary provides to those who will be touched by the testimonies that will be recorded.

I plan for “The Other Side of Ministry” to be more than just another YouTube video. I intend on entering the final product into film festivals as a means of advertising and then preparing it for distribution across any medium I can get it into. This is the ministry that I have been called to and plan to follow it to the best of my ability.

If you are interested in being a part of “The Other Side of Ministry” either as an on-screen participant or a donor please contact me through Twitter” (@rbaker_spaceage-llc.com) or on our Facebook page. I hope to hear from you!